I was beginning to hate weddings. Seriously. Most everyone loves a wedding- the excitement, the anticipation, the love, the flowers, the cake, the dancing, the everything. It was all very adorable and fluffy, and to be honest, it made me want to vomit at some points.

It was hard to read his expression. He didn't seem upset about it, exactly, but there was a vague uncomfortableness that reminded me of the way Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur discussed my cousin Gabriella and her habit of flitting from city to city in her profession of starving artistry. Yet Albus had just said he didn't care about Matt and I kissing. Weird.

“Hi,” I said somewhat breathlessly after I opened the door. Matt was holding a bouquet of lilies. Every single guy I'd ever gone on a date with has brought me lilies. It got old when I was still at Hogwarts, but I wouldn't hold it against him.

As we finished, the discussion moved toward speculation of what Albus did on his previous mission. This was a favorite pastime of James and I, and apparently Matt and Becca did the same whenever she was home while Albus wasn't.

“Minister of Egypt's bodyguard,” Matt suggested as we perused the dessert menu.

I shook my head. “Nahh. Chasing after a bloke riding a dragon who robbed banks in China, India, and Japan.”

I tentatively put my hand on his bare back, touching the biggest of all the scars, the scars I still hadn't worked up enough courage to ask about. He flinched and I quickly withdrew my hand, unsure what to do next.

I needed to bake Rose a batch of biscuits or a cake or something in return for her easing my mind. Okay, I needed to ask Nana Molly to bake a cake for me to give to Rose in return for her easing my mind. The last thing anyone needed was to eat a cake I made, but the thought would be there, at least.

Rose raised her eyebrows, but revealed nothing. I'd had a fleeting hope that Rose would reveal something in her facial expressions when I brought this up, but she was Rose, so I don't know why I'd even entertained the thought.